In an article for IAM, Haynes Boone Partner Jeff Morton and Associate Kalyani Joshi discuss key strategies to consider with the new U.S. Patent and Trademark Office fast track examination pilot program.
Read an excerpt below.
Startups and companies with budget limitations can benefit from a new U.S. expedited patent prosecution programme by accelerating protection for new products, strengthening investor confidence for capital raising and securing rights before entering licensing agreements.
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s new “Streamlined Claim Set Pilot Program” offers expedited examination through the first office action for applications with streamlined claim sets. Unlike the “Track One Prioritized Examination Program”, which provides full prosecution prioritization, this pilot serves as a lower-cost alternative. Strategic applicants can leverage the pilot to secure protection quickly for flagship embodiments, then file continuation applications for broader claims, balancing expedited commercialization with ongoing patent family development. The programme is particularly valuable for applicants with focused claim sets who need rapid patent allowance to launch products quickly or establish market position.
About the Programme
On 27 October, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office announced it is offering the pilot to further accelerate examination of currently pending applications with a limited number of claims. The programme supplements Track One, which remains in place.
Read the full article from IAM here.
